81: Startup Farm Stories with Ben Whatley Part 1

Grounded in Maine

Ok, I guess I lied about whittling down this episode; it IS long - in my defense, I tried, but I couldn't bear to take anything out! So this is another 2 part-er...
I met Ben Whatley officially in 2020, just as the Covid Pandemic was ramping up, and, as a farmer, Ben was reserving time at the commercial kitchen I used for my jam business, and was asked to help rent out, so we talked - and he was SO cool. So much to share, and so much knowledge and passion for caring for the earth he was responsible for. I felt that instantly, and he was one of my first thoughts when starting this podcast, because he is so open about a lot of things.
Let me tell you I learned a LOT in this conversation! I had no idea how much Ben would share, and how cool of a story he had! Languages, car breaking down, crop failure, but also tons of great wins - he's had some of his employees for years! They have a great attitude toward crap weather. He has 2 cutie baby kids (I found out about # 2 just before recording - he's 11 weeks old!), and a beautiful life partner, and supportive family.
So many things inspire me about Ben and his farming practices - I'll let him tell them over these 2 episodes, but one of my favorite things if their dedication to use less plastic - and that they have Anna, who loves trying out recipes with the produce and sharing (we'll talk about it in the 2nd episode), but also how the farmers in Maine all share info and help each other out with new ideas and tips to get past hurdles - for instance, this past summer's deluge of rain...
So many topics discussed - don't miss out!
If you want to learn more about Whatley Farm's practices and sign up for their newsletter for recipes, etc, check out https://whatleyfarm.com/
Their Facebook Page is here: https://www.facebook.com/whatleyfarm
And Instagram is here: https://www.instagram.com/whatleyfarm/
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